


In Another Time

by vanilla107



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bi Luke, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Luke falls first and it's adorable, M/M, and finding peace with each other, and willie/alex, brief mentions of luke/julie, but luke/alex takes center stage for this fic, from 1995 to 2020, homophobia from Alex's parents, how their relationship developed, the pining to getting together, to breaking up and dying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26976679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanilla107/pseuds/vanilla107
Summary: “So what are you going to tell your parents?” Luke asked and Alex sighed.“I don’t know yet. The truth is out there and I denied that I was into girls at least five times before running out…but for now I’ll just deal with it. I know they love me…I hope they do.”Alex’s response crushed Luke and he hesitantly intertwined his hands with Alex’s.“One last kiss?” Alex asked, hoping the guitarist would indulge him one last time before they ended things for good.Luke nodded and leaned in, capturing Alex’s lips in a searing kiss, leaving the drummer wanting more but a bitter reminder of what he couldn’t have.
Relationships: Alex/Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 10
Kudos: 162





	In Another Time

The Summer of 1994

It was 1994, and Alex had been 16 when he had come out to Luke, Bobby and Reggie.

None of them were shocked because Alex was Alex and he was an amazing friend, an excellent drummer and being gay didn’t change anything, but Luke didn’t expect to start liking his best friend a year later, yet he couldn’t help but shrug at the thought. 

Since Alex’s coming out, the blonde smiled more and was one of the most radiant people in the room when they had practice. Alex was talented, beautiful and had seen the worst of Luke and after running out on his parents to pursue a career with Sunset Curve, he had cried into the drummer’s shoulder multiple times.

Alex had seen him at his best and his worst and Luke liked that he was still there. Still there to snap him out of his funk, to nod his head to an unfinished melody, to smile at a dumb joke and…and Luke hadn’t realized he was pining so hard for him.

It made him nervous at the thought that he liked one of his best friends who happened to be in the same band as him. He couldn’t bear the thought of telling Reggie or Bobby because, despite them being chill with Alex, he still needed time to sort through his emotions.

Was he straight? Was he gay? He couldn’t be gay because he knew he liked girls too but what did that mean? He vaguely remembered the word bisexual being thrown around in the corridors at school, but that didn’t answer his question. Did he like Alex because they were friends and he felt so comfortable around him? 

It was confusing to say the least but he knew one thing for sure: that he liked Alex and wanted to see where it would go. It was a risk but he was determined to not let a simple confession ruin his friendship with him or risk breaking up the band.

It was after band practice, once Reggie and Bobby had left, that Luke plucked up the courage to ask him. 

“Hey Alex. You played really well today!” he grinned, and Alex smiled warmly.

“Thanks dude. Gotta make sure we’re ready for that big gig! Next up the Orpheum and then our dreams will come true!”

Luke watched Alex dance his awful ballet dance across the room and he chuckled before shaking his hands and placing his guitar down.

“Yeah…it’s finally falling into place, but I wanted to ask you something.”

Alex stopped dancing and looked at him seriously.

“Oh? Is this because I was off in one of the songs because to be honest, I’m not having the best vocal day-”

“No Alex. It has nothing to do with your voice,” Luke chuckled. 

“Okay then…what is it?”

Luke took a deep breath and looked into Alex’s eyes.

“I’m going to just go for this and say…I like you Alex and I…I want to go on a date with you.”

The drummer stared at him for a minute before taking a step back and running a hand through his hair in disbelief. He was quiet for too long and Luke could feel the nerves setting it in.

_Crap…maybe this was a bad idea._

“Okay, you’re not saying anything and if this is making you uncomfortable, we can pretend this never happened-”

“-I…this isn’t some prank? Because it’s not funny but…No…you wouldn’t do something like this…” 

Luke noticed that Alex’s voice trembled, like he was scared of the possibility that this was some cruel joke. He clenched his jaw and took a step forward, taking Alex’s hands in his and squeezing softly.

“I’m being serious. I like you and want to go on a date.”

“You like _me?”_ Alex asked incredulously. 

“What’s not to like?” Luke laughed at the cheesy comment but noticed that Alex seemed more anxious than happy.

Alex’s heart was pounding hard in his chest. It’s not that he didn’t like Luke, but more because he had always been afraid to let his budding feelings disrupt his friendship. He was close with his bandmates and he never wanted to cross a line. He knew that they were all accepting of him but the last thing he wanted was for their band to break up because of something that could’ve been avoided.

“I…I don’t know what to say,” Alex murmured, letting go of Luke’s hands, before sitting down on the couch, his head in his hands.

Luke swallowed uneasily and sat down next to him before slowly putting a hand on Alex’s shoulder.

“If this is too much then-”

“No! It’s just…overwhelming. I’m happy you like me Luke. _Over the freaking moon_ happy…but what if things don’t work out? What if there’s awkwardness? I don’t want the band to fall apart if this doesn’t work out-”

“Okay woah!” Luke interrupted and placed his cupped Alex’s face in his hands, “I get it. We’re good friends already and we don’t want to ruin it and I’m not asking you to start going on dates every Friday night or pressure you into something you’re not ready for. I just want to spend more time with you, and we can take it slowly. Super slow, like a snail if you want.” 

Alex closed his eyes before opening them and seeing Luke’s clear blue eyes. 

“Slow like a snail?” he asked softly, and Luke smiled before removing his hands from Alex’s face to lifting his hands to his lips and kissing Alex’s knuckles gently.

“Super slow like a snail,” he repeated.

They spent the rest of the afternoon laughing at failed lyrics from Luke’s songbook and eating leftover pizza. 

Alex wasn’t sure if that counted as a first date, but he was happy and if it did, it was perfect.

* * *

Six months later

Luke hummed softly under his breath as he fiddled with a chord on his guitar. 

It was a cool evening, and Reggie had just gone out to get them dinner, but Luke knew deep down that the bass player would take at least an hour to get their food. Reggie, the charismatic guy he was, would probably spend most of that time flirting up a storm with the other customers.

He chuckled at the thought and nodded as the melody began to come together before pausing to look over the lyrics he had written. While editing some of the lyrics, Luke started singing softly, trying to see where he could improve on the tempo, when the door opened with a bang and he looked up in shock.

There stood Alex, beautiful and sensitive Alex, Sunset Curve’s drummer and-

Luke froze when he realized that there were tears running down Alex’s cheeks and he immediately put his guitar down and ran to him, his gut squeezing in worry.

“Alex…what…did something happen?”

“I…” Alex couldn’t speak before dissolving into sobs, his hands coming up to his face.

Luke led him to the couch and pulled him into a hug while the boy cried.

For once Luke was grateful that Reggie was a massive flirt because this was serious and though he loved the guy, Reggie had always been more of the jokester even in serious situations.

Once the sobs subsided, Alex looked up, his eyes red and face slightly puffy, and Luke brushed away the tears.

“Alex…what happened?”

“I…I told my parents I’m gay and…and they-”

Alex started crying again and buried his head into Luke’s shoulder and Luke felt his heart break.

He didn’t need to know how Alex’s parents reacted because the drummer’s reaction was enough.

“Did they kick you out?” he whispered.

“No…they started saying things like ‘I haven’t found the right person’ and when I told them that I know for a fact that I’m not attracted to women…it got so bad Luke.”

The blonde looked like he was going to cry again, and Luke rubbed his back soothingly.

“They started talking about seeing a therapist like something’s wrong with me and…and what if there is? What if I’m just messed up in the head-?” 

Luke’s concern subsided and was replaced with rage. How dare Alex’s parents say that? There was nothing wrong with the beautiful person next to him.

“You’re not messed up in the head Alex. You are incredible and just because you like men doesn’t make you any less of a person, _I promise_. I’m sorry your parents said those things.”

Alex sighed and fidgeted with his hands.

“I didn’t tell them about us. Their initial reaction was enough,” he whispered, and Luke nodded.

“They don’t need to know,” he said as he rubbed Alex’s back.

They were quiet for a while, Alex listening to Luke’s heartbeat and Luke gently running a hand through the drummer’s hair. Alex sat up, his eyes red and he sighed before looking at Luke, his expression pained. 

“Luke…please don’t take this the wrong way but…but I think we should…stop this.”

It was as if all the air was sucked out of the room. Luke bit his tongue hard to stop himself from yelling.

_Why? Why do you have to suffer to make your parents happy? What happened to your happiness Alex?_

“I don’t want to break up with you. It’s just that…that I don’t know about this and what my parents are going to do once I go home this evening and I can’t risk being forced to leave the band. It just feels like there’s too many variables-”

Luke shook his head before clasping the drummer’s hands in his and looked into his eyes.

“I understand. You’re upset and your parents play a huge role in your life. I don’t want this relationship to be a center of conflict for you. I mean…you know my relationship with my parents.”

“Unsaid Emily.”

“Yeah…exactly. And I while I regret running out on them…being gay is who you are. You can’t change yourself and if your parents don’t like that then Reggie, Bobby and I are your new family.”

Alex hugged the guitarist hard and cried into his shoulder for the third time that night.

They sat there in silence before Luke turned to face him.

“So what are you going to tell your parents?” Luke asked and Alex sighed.

“I don’t know yet. The truth is out there and I denied that I was into girls at least five times before running out…but for now I’ll just deal with it. I know they love me…I hope they do.”

Alex’s response crushed Luke and he hesitantly intertwined his hands with Alex’s. 

“One last kiss?” Alex asked, hoping the guitarist would indulge him one last time before they ended things for good.

Luke nodded and leaned in, capturing Alex’s lips in a searing kiss, leaving the drummer wanting more but a bitter reminder of what he couldn’t have.

* * *

2020

Caleb’s Ghost Club

“There’s a lot to um…like here,” Willie said gazing at Alex, before leaving the table and the drummer looked at his retreating form.

He felt his heart jump as the words repeated themselves in his head and for the first time realized he could be himself. The possibility of meeting a gay skater ghost in LA after crying for 25 years, was slim but here he was and he…he loved it. Alex could be gay and proud of it and not have to hide constantly. Whether he ever saw his parents or not, he could be who he wanted to be.

He could be _free._

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a familiar voice behind him. 

“Woah, you got a crush on Willie!” Luke grinned, and Alex looked up in surprise.

Alex wasn’t sure how to react. Luke had been the first person to love him, _really_ love him, after he came out and even though they had a healthy relationship, he had ended things on a note he wasn’t proud of. 

“What no. No, man, no. We’re just-”

“-Alex, I’m happy for you,” Luke said with a smile and Alex saw the sincerity in his eyes, and a slow smile spread across his face too.

He was about to answer when Reggie came back, upset.

“You guys are not going to believe this, but someone just told me they added a character named Jar Jar. What’s a Jar Jar?” he exclaimed.

Luke saw Caleb walk to their table but shot Alex a smile before listening to what Caleb had to say.

* * *

2020

The Studio

Luke clenched his hands into fists and opened them up again. 

He was sitting on the couch and Julie had already gone to bed. Reggie was asleep in the loft and Alex had made a quick trip to see Willie. 

They had just played the Orpheum, nearly died (again) and through Julie, they were no longer under Caleb’s curse and could touch each other. He didn’t understand it at all, but he liked being able to hold Julie’s hand and hold her. He wasn’t sure if that meant they were alive, but Alex had poofed out to see Willie so maybe they could only touch Julie?

He shook his head and decided to not think about it anymore when Alex poofed next to him.

“Hey, Reggie asleep?” he asked, and Luke nodded.

“How’s Willie?” he asked.

“He’s okay and Caleb doesn’t suspect a thing about him helping us.”

They collapsed into comfortable silence before Alex cleared his throat.

“I actually wanted to talk to you about…us.”

“ _Us?_ ”

Luke didn’t know what on earth Alex meant. The tone sounded oddly similar to when Alex had broken up with him all those years ago but they weren’t a couple anymore so what was the deal? Had something happened with him and Willie and he wanted advice?

“Yeah…can we talk outside? I don’t want to wake Reggie.”

Luke nodded and they poofed outside. It was a warm evening and Luke leaned against the garage wall. He took in Alex’s stance and noticed he was tense. 

“Alex…don’t start pacing on me. Whatever you need to tell me will be between us.”

The drummer nodded before letting out a breath.

“I want to apologize for breaking up with you 25 years ago. I was scared after I told my parents and I just didn’t want any crazier changes in my life like losing you or the band.”

Luke was surprised. He thought they left their romantic period back in 1994 and had moved on but clearly Alex didn’t feel the same.

“You don’t need to apologize Alex. I know why you did what you did. Remember I said that I didn’t want our relationship to be a point of conflict for you. It wouldn’t have been fair.”

Luke stepped back when Alex threw his hands up in the air in frustration.

“I felt guilty though! I ended things with you not because I wanted to but because I was feeling scared all the time. What if someone found out? What would happen to the band? What if someone hurt you? The AIDS crisis didn’t make it better for gay people-”

Alex felt warm tears of sadness drip down his cheeks and Luke pulled him into a hug.

“Alex…it’s _okay_. I’m not upset that you had to end things and you made the choice that felt right. Also…just so you know…there’s tons of research now about AIDS and it’s not an exclusive virus to gay people,” Luke said soothingly, rubbing his back.

“It’s not?”

“Yeah, it’s spread through contact of blood and I don’t know all the details, but I checked a couple days ago. I remember how scared you were about it when you saw the protests and the general reaction from the public about it, so I did some research. It’s not curable but there are people who are alive who live with it and are living decent lives. HIV is what it starts out as and then if left untreated, can lead to AIDS which is what is life threatening.”

Alex shut his eyes tight and let out a shaky breath.

Memories flashed through his mind: the newspaper articles screaming how ten more gay men died in a hospital, his dad commenting on the gay men in the street, the whispers from the teens in the corridor about how one of their classmates had contracted the ‘gay plague’. 

“So much has changed now Luke…gender and sexuality is so much more open and accepting now and I finally feel free to be who I really am,” he whispered, and Luke broke off the hug before squeezing the drummer’s shoulder affectionately. 

“And I’m happy that you’re happy, you know? Especially since…leading up to the Orpheum…things were a little tense with us…” Luke murmured, and Alex nodded.

“I’m sorry for hurting you Luke. I never wanted too.”

Alex broke off, his eyes tearing up again and Luke brought him back into another hug.

“It’s okay now,” Luke murmured.

They stayed like that in silence, holding each other before Alex let go, feeling a weight off his shoulders. He cleared his throat and shook his head before looking at Luke.

“So…you and Julie?” Alex grinned as he wiped away the last of his tears, and Luke smiled bashfully.

“I guess I can’t hide how I feel. I…I really like her…I just don’t know how our relationship would work. I know we can touch each other now but what if it’s only temporary?”

“Yeah the whole ‘being a ghost’ thing is a _bit_ of a deal breaker,” Alex snorted, and Luke rolled his eyes.

“But seriously, whatever happens between you and Julie…you deserve it Luke.”

“Thanks Alex and you deserve happiness too. I’m happy you have it with Willie.”

“I know dying sucked and it feels selfish to admit this but…I like it here. I like that I have a second chance at my life where I feel free.”

“I get it Alex and it’s not selfish. You’re free and we can live our weird ghost lives rocking out with Julie and becoming the band we always wanted to be.”

Alex shot him a smile that had once made Luke's heart beat a little faster but all he felt was a swell of happiness as he wrapped an arm around Alex's shoulder and pulled him into another hug.

They spent the rest of their time gazing at the stars, their laughter floating into the night, reminiscing about their past and dreaming about their futures.

**Author's Note:**

> Did I really binge a musical series about a ghost band and a girl recovering from her mom's passing that hasn't been confirmed for a second season yet? Yes. Yes I did AND NETFLIX WILL YOU PLEASE GIVE US WHAT WE WANT?!
> 
> Anyway, This is my first Julie and the Phantoms fanfic and even though I ship Julie and Luke hardcore, Owen and Charlie just had to mention on live that Luke and Alex dated in the 90s and BAM this fanfic happened! I love how close Luke, Reggie and Alex are (crushing toxic masculinity) so I will most likely be writing fanfictions for them all in future but for now, to test the waters, have this baby! I did have to imagine how Alex and Luke would talk one on one as there weren't many moments in the series with one on one characters besides Luke and Julie but WHEN WE GET A SEASON TWO, I'd love to see their relationships fleshed out more!
> 
> A huge thank you to my friend, Naz, for binging this show with me last week and then beta reading this! Thank you for crying with me to Unsaid Emily, for hearing my theories and giggling at our favourite parts. <3
> 
> If you enjoyed reading this, leave a comment or kudo to make me love you forever.
> 
> Stay safe everyone!  
> vanilla107  
> xoxo


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